Since the ancestor's time, the Dark-Dark Fruit had never returned to the Figarland family. For them, this Devil Fruit held immense significance.
Even Darian, who usually showed little interest in the Native Hunting Competition, was ecstatic upon hearing the news and expressed his desire to participate for the first time.
However, Garling, as the head of the family, immediately vetoed the idea.
Garling had long harbored doubts about Carl's death, but the matters concerning Shanks and the Dark-Dark Fruit had occupied him, leaving no time to investigate.
Even when an enraged Darian tried to use Shanks as leverage, Garling remained unmoved.
Upon returning home, Darian fumed, especially when he saw Carl's sealed body. His rage reached a boiling point, and, after cursing "worthless" in his room for half a day, he cruelly ordered Carl's lifeless body—deemed useless—to be placed on a slave ship destined for the Valley of Gods.
Perhaps due to the Lunarian lineage within Carl, his body was remarkably resilient, resisting decay long enough for his eventual "revival."
Garling, unaware of these developments, sought assistance from Saturn on the eve of the Native Hunting Competition. He asked Saturn to switch one of the Devil Fruits in a box with Shanks.
This action revealed Shanks' origins to Saturn, but given his ties to the Figarland family, Saturn kept silent until Garling decided to make it public himself.
Moreover, this exchange earned Saturn both a favor from Garling and the opportunity to keep an extra Devil Fruit.
Of the six Devil Fruits for the tournament, five were provided by the Five Elders. Switching his designated fruit was easy for Saturn. After all, with Garling's overwhelming strength, no one could challenge him if he decided to claim the box for himself.
Garling planned to use his undeniable power to present his son as a trophy at the Native Hunting Competition and bring him back to the family, while also claiming the Dark-Dark Fruit.
Yet, events took an unexpected turn.
Rocks, seeking his lost Dark-Dark Fruit, arrived at the Valley of Gods, turning it into a battlefield. Amid the chaos, the Native Hunting Competition was canceled.
Carl, presumed dead, reemerged as the wielder of the Dark-Dark Fruit.
By the end of the Valley of Gods battle, where Rocks met his demise, all the boxes containing Devil Fruits, including the one with Shanks, had vanished.
Carl, Shanks, and the Dark-Dark Fruit were all beyond Garling's reach.
After recounting the events of the past, Garling's eyes flickered with a trace of confusion as he gazed silently at Carl.
"Carl," he began slowly, "do you think this is fate? You are the most talented individual in the Figarland family in 800 years, and the Dark-Dark Fruit, absent for generations, ended up in your hands. As for Shanks, he was never meant to stay here anyway."
Garling's voice carried a deep sense of powerlessness.
Carl met Garling's gaze, his expression steady.
"Uncle Garling," Carl replied, "I stopped believing in destiny the moment I came back to life at the Valley of Gods."
Garling frowned slightly. "Came back to life?"
With a calm expression, Carl said, "If destiny truly existed, I should have disappeared from this world entirely. There would be no Marine Admiral, no young master of the Figarland family."
If not for his reincarnation, the events in the world of One Piece would indeed have followed a preordained course. But his very existence signified that "fate" had been replaced by "uncertainty."
Carl continued, "Uncle Garling, everything is moving in a better direction now, isn't it? This is the result of what we've built together."
Garling shook his head. "You've been the one fighting all these years. I…"
"Don't say that, Uncle Garling. Take the time I spent in Sorbet Kingdom, for example. Without your protection, Darian would have dragged me back for his experiments long ago. You gave me the time and space to grow."
Hearing Carl's sincere words, Garling felt touched, though slightly embarrassed. Clearing his throat, he said, "These are things an uncle should do. No need to mention them again."
Carl laughed heartily. "Alright, Uncle Garling, I won't bring it up again, but I'll always remember it in my heart."
He then shifted the conversation.
"Uncle Garling, I've met Shanks a few times. I've told him about his origins."
"What?" Garling's eyes widened, a rare display of surprise. "What was his reaction?"
"Well," Carl mused, "over the years, he's pieced together some of his background, so he wasn't too shocked. But he's still conflicted. Not sure who he takes after, but he doesn't want to return to the family right now."
Garling sighed softly. "Let him be. Ever since he became a Yonko, he's calmed down…"
"Well, not anymore. I encouraged him to aim for the title of Pirate King."
"…Carl, are you joking?"
Carl spread his hands, feigning innocence. "Not at all, Uncle Garling. If Shanks is going to be a pirate, he might as well be the Pirate King. Anything less would lack flair!"
"And then?" Garling retorted. "As Marine Fleet Admiral, are you planning to ignore the so-called Pirate King or throw him in prison?"
"What are you saying, Uncle Garling? How could I throw my own brother in jail? If I 'capture' him, it'd only be to bring him back home."
"So, your idea is to confine him in the name of family?"
"No," Carl said with a sly grin. "That was just a passing thought. I wouldn't lay a hand on him. Shanks values his pride, and as his older brother, I need to respect that."
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+250 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg